The Beauty and the Tragedy
by Kiriyu Kyoko
Summary: This fanfiction's start point is during Moon Lovers's 8th episode final scene. This being said, readers should assume that everything that occurred between Wang So and Hae Soo before this episode happened exactly as it did on the kdrama. The same can't be said about other characters though, but the hints of the changes will surface as the fanfiction progresses.
1. Chapter 1

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ _I do not own any of these characters!_

 _ **Chapter One:**_ _Save your breath, your heart has spoken_

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As he slowly approached, a cold wind passed by embracing the people who stood by watching. Tension engulfed the atmosphere, most didn't dare to take even one breath, frozen in awe due to his dignified new appearance.

Hae Soo arrived late but took advantage of the fact that everyone's attention was placed on the 4th prince, managing to silently find her place among the Damiwon ladies. Only then she rose her eyes to watch the scene that passed, not being surprised in the least. After all, this had all been her doing.

"I've found a way to make you get rid of that mask!" she'd told him in the tower quarters just 30 minutes before this and had kept her promise.

Thus there he came, serious and confident in his white robes, no trace of mask or scar could be found, taking one slow step at a time, wetting and moving the leaf on his hand as the rain ritual demanded.

His eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he took note of every single shocked expression. This would be an unpaired moment he would never forget: the first time people looked at him as something worth seeing.

He'd been looked down upon all his life, being often treated worse than a dog. Feeling important like this left such a sweet taste in his mouth, he couldn't help but throw huge condescending grins to those who watched, his cruel mother being the main destination of those.

And then, there was no sun. Clouds covered the sky coloring it gray, making the once blue firmament no longer the same. The temperature dropped and, as he climbed the grand stairs, he felt something coming that would change everything once again.

Nevertheless, he continued his way. Nothing would ever stop him from feeling as if he belonged anymore. This moment right now was his reason for being born. He'd started to believe he might have actually been chosen by the heavens.

As soon as he placed himself before the ceremonial altar and took a bow, cold little raindrops started falling from the sky, and suddenly there was a downpour.

The slave had actually become a king.

He'd brought rain.

Cheers could be heard in the distance, the commoners jumped and danced in awe, gladly welcoming their salvation. They screamed his name in gratefulness.

Among the palacers, though, reactions were divided. There were those who stood still shocked but grateful and happy for the 4th prince's achievement. Rain would save the country after all, it didn't matter who had brought it.

There were those who weren't happy at all. A great opportunity to make her family gain power had been missed for prince and Queen Yo, and since they'd never considered the 4th prince one of their own, it felt like he'd stolen the family's moment.

There was one person though, who didn't really care about rain, power or anything other than So's moment of glory. And that was Hae Soo.

She had watched firsthand how he'd been mistreated and misjudged. She knew how lonely he was, how everything it took for him to come your way was a stretched hand. He'd been hurt so much but still believed in people.

Hae Soo or, better saying, Go Ha Jin herself had put a much greater barrier inside her heart after having being betrayed only once by her friend and ex-lover… How had the 4th prince managed to become such a good person despite having suffered so much for a period of a lifetime she had no idea. And that's what she admired about him.

He was genuinely good. And he deserved this. He was her friend and she would stand by him whenever he needed her, knowing he would've done the same for her.

When Wang So turned around to face everyone, his eyes searched for Hae Soo first, and he discovered her eyes were already on him. Her clean brown eyes shone brightly as they met his, and he thought they had a secret conversation that moment. She told him through them that he had done well. That she was proud.

His heart jumped. If he had actually been born as a dog, his tail would be wagging like crazy that moment. He wanted to get down from there and run towards her. To take her in his arms, raise and spin with her in joy.

Wang So started to climb the stairs down, walking towards her general direction. First, though, he stopped before his father, the King, as the tradition demanded. He was to be carried around town in a palanquin soon afterwards, but all he could think about was that he had to speak to Soo.

Before he could get closer though, Baek Ah got to him first.

"You did it, So!" he said with a huge smile, seeming so happy as if he'd been the one who had brought rain himself. Baek Ah, the 13th prince, and Soo were the only people in the world Wang So trusted. They were his only friends. Beside them, So had only managed to befriend trees. That's the amount of loneliness he'd had before returning to the capital.

Smiling back to his brother in response, So accepted his praises with humility, while his eyes continued to search for Hae Soo's. She, on the other hand, had started to go back inside the palace with the other Damiwon ladies for they had to prepare for the feast that followed the success of the rain ritual. With this, So realized he'd lost his chance to speak to her.

Baek Ah had noticed this, and so asked matter-of-factly after making sure nobody else was paying attention:

"Were you on your way to Hae Soo?"

The 4th prince froze and remained silent, and since he didn't deny it, Baek Ah took it as an yes and continued:

"You can't speak to her so openly, So. She's only a court lady now—"

"That doesn't matter to me", So interrupted, but Baek Ah insisted:

"I know that it doesn't matter to you. It doesn't matter to me either, she's my friend too. But you're going to receive lots of attention from now on, and if you act carelessly towards her, you're going to bring her trouble."

The thought hadn't crossed So's mind until Baek Ah mentioned it. While being carried in the palanquin, he finally stopped to think about what it really meant to stand in the position he stood on that moment, being treated as the Nation's hero. All eyes were on him. Now he was, more than never, expected to become a great strength to the Crown Prince. He would then, inevitably, involve himself in the struggles for power.

That wasn't what he wanted.

Sure, it was great to feel important. For the first time in his life, instead of being feared, he was being adored, being seen as a human being, not as a disposable object.

But if making everyone treat him like this meant he had to keep himself from being with the first person who had seen the man behind the mask – literally and figuratively - , then he didn't need it.


	2. Chapter 2

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ _I do not own any of these characters!_

 _ **Chapter Two:**_ _You already have my life_

Soon came the moon, but the rain showed no signs of stopping, rather than that it seemed it had invited thunder along to play. The coming heavy storm did nothing to cease the happiness those little water drops had initially inflicted though. The Palace was filled with a festive atmosphere that was hardly ever seen before. The feast lasted for hours, most princes ate and drank to their heart's content without a care in the world.

Wang So, being the center of the night, for the first time had actually had a private father-to-son kind of conversation with King Taejo earlier that evening. His spirits were high, his great father had looked him in the eye for the first time after so many years and had actually told him to raise his confidence.

He'd given up the idea of ever having parental love ever since Queen Yoo had shown him her true colors. Her constant disgust and rejection had been almost unbearable. Back then she had been his only hope, for the King had always been on an unreachable place for him - a place which his longing for love couldn't reach, but that the hurt of the dismissal could be felt in return nonetheless. If it hadn't been for Hae Soo, even now he would've…

Hae Soo. _Soo-ah_.

It was all thanks to her.

In such a short period of time, she'd become his North. Just thinking about her made him breathless. His heart tightened, as he remembered each and every time she'd slowly imprinted herself on him.

Hae Soo was special, he'd never met anyone like her. From the very beginning, she never showed signs of submission or fear. She'd always confronted him head on, never minding his social status or the rumors he'd made for himself. The dangerous "dog wolf" must have been just a little puppy for her from the start, for she'd always been sensible enough to see beyond appearances.

When she first saw his scar on the royal bath, he'd been so taken aback and ashamed he didn't know what to do. His scar was his soul's deepest trauma, the evidence left of the day his mother had proved his life meant nothing. He'd let her go that night while secretly worrying that there would be even more people talking behind his back the next day, shunning him, but to his surprise, nothing had changed. She hadn't talked about it to anyone, and what's more, the way she treated him hadn't changed either. He was still her equal, a person like her. She remained fearless just like before, to the point of following him inside a dark forest at night to return a stupid hairpin to him. Seriously, who was that girl?

She was someone who was just trying to survive, like him. He'd threatened her so many times, but there she stood, still holding her ground tightly.

That's when he'd realized she was different and started to pay more attention to her.

As he slowly opened up to her, she did the same to him, it was as if they'd made an unspoken secret contract, an unnamed and unconscious fair trade. He'd admitted to having no family, she'd lost her only cousin. He felt her pain while she felt his. They found comfort in each other's company.

It build up to a point he was ready to fight the whole world for her sake while having not even taken notice of it yet.

He'd warned her about life inside the palace. She'd told him it would be all right because he would be there with her.

So when the time for Hae Soo to see his scar for the second time came, he'd been prepared for it. He could have left the room with his mask still on if he'd wanted, but… He wished to put the people present there up to test. Specially her. He wanted to make sure that he hadn't been fooling himself, to be certain she was indeed trustworthy. He'd begun to notice he had involved himself too much with her already, he was almost at the point of no return. And since every single one of his expectations had turned out to be disappointments before, why would it be different this time? If she indeed turned out to be another letdown, he would be devastated. But the sooner, the better.

His plan backfired though.

When even Baek Ah hadn't dared to look, she'd been the only one to keep eye contact with him from beginning to end. She'd certainly had proved herself different, but what he hadn't anticipated was the way she'd made him feel then. So weak, vulnerable. He'd been prepared to feel shame and humiliation, not that. Her clean concerned stare made his heart skip a beat, his legs shake. She truly cared? About him? He had to get the fuck out of there.

Remembering all this brought a smile to his face and he sighed. His heart was her home now.

As much as he wanted his father to keep on being proud of him, nothing could compare to what Hae Soo meant for him. He would go to her the second she called. He would throw everything to the sky if that's what she wished. He had lived all his life without this recognition from the others, specially his parents, and so that meant he could keep on living without those with no problem. But he couldn't imagine himself without her anymore.

Because he wasn't the same.

Great laughter could be heard even from a good distance, and the same joyful atmosphere existed beyond the palace's walls.

Wang So, then, saw the celebration as an opportunity to speak to Soo. With everyone drunk – even the King – no one would pay attention to him sneaking out for a while to see her. The only potential problem would be Lady Oh, but it wouldn't be hard to hide from her while the servants were so busy.

He waited until the proper time and successfully managed to get past the royal gathering. Then, all he had to do was find Soo.


	3. Chapter 3

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ _I do not own any of these characters!_

 _ **Chapter Three:**_ _For I'm finding out_

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"Aah, my back…" she complained, immediately placing the heavy rice sack onto the floor.

The storm continued going strong, but she'd been coming and going, back and forth from the storage quarters to the cookhouse, doing some "extremely reacquired and emergencial" labor. That usually wasn't a job done by a court lady, but the Damiwon's master had specially made her do it, saying the "men were all busy"…

"Busy, my ass…" she muttered to herself while massaging the sore spot. Most men inside the palace were either drunk or almost getting there since the King had decreed it was Rain's feast.

That must've been the tenth rice sack she'd carried. Lady Oh had been overworking her since early that evening, for she had certainly known that Hae Soo had been the one to put make up on the 4th Prince's face and, therefore, had overstepped her boundaries.

Ranks and titles… Those things sure were a bother, being the reason she missed her noble lady status the most. Before, she was freer to interact with the princes, having almost no restriction. But as a court lady… She wasn't even allowed to speak to her friends, much less touch them.

And the 4th Prince was her friend.

He'd been about to perform the rain ritual again, even after being humiliated and hurt the first time because of his mask. She couldn't allow him to go through that hurt again while knowing of a way to prevent it. Seeing him pained made her heart hurt too.

Hae Soo had befriended most princes, but her relation with So was somehow deeper than the others, though she couldn't quite understand it.

Accidentally seeing his scar at the royal bath had been a turning point and the start of it all. Because then, she caught him off guard for the first time, getting a glimpse of the real him. The girl realized immediately how his scary demeanor was really a hoax. He was just a scared puppy who got tired of getting abused by the world. Violence was the only response he'd known, for no one had been there to teach him otherwise.

Since then he had changed so much, the thought made her smile. She'd failed to precise the exact moment, but one day he stopped with the threatening and even called her "his person" at one point.

She'd wondered back then what it meant to be another person's person exactly. Was he objectifying her; she demanded to know. The thought hadn't been pleasant, it was against all what her modern woman ideals stood for. He kept himself from saying anything further though.

But now, Hae Soo thought she understood what he'd meant back then.

The moment of her understanding had been earlier that day, while on the astronomer's quarters, just before doing her magic on the 4th Prince.

As she took off his mask and put his bangs away from his face, their intimacy level suddenly hit her like a truck. She hadn't even hesitated before touching him. And there he was, seating in front of her in all his handsomeness like that, purposely letting his guard down for her only… She felt something she couldn't name.

An intense urge overcame her, and she delicately began tracing his scar with the tip of her index finger, as if she was under a strange spell. She felt him freeze, sensing his awareness and nervousness beneath her touch. Their eyes met and suddenly, he grabbed her wrist and broke the silence:

"You… It doesn't bother you to see this ugly face?"

 _Ugly? Who?_ She remembered asking herself mentally, still under a little stupor.

"Do you feel sorry for me?" he continued, still holding her wrist.

She stared at him, fully awake now.

That had been a tricky question. It was true she'd felt pity for him before, but that certainly wasn't what she was feeling that moment.

Then, she started thinking about him. What was he feeling that time? Was he scared? He must be feeling so exposed... A strong need to reassure him engulfed her then, and she answered lightheartedly that she can't feel sorry for someone who's always threatening her.

"And… whether you have a scar or not… No matter how other people see you, the fact that you're a good person is more important to me", she told him sincerely.

He seemed to search her eyes, as if looking for signs of dishonesty or manipulation, but whatever it was, he didn't seem to find any trace of it.

She thought she saw his eyes gleam with emotion, but wasn't sure for it happened way too quickly. He looked away from her as if she was a blinding light, slowly letting her wrist go, falling silent once again.

He seemed shaken and she left out a little breath she'd been unknowingly holding.

Coming closer, this time she hesitated just enough so she was sure she had his permission. His consent was felt rather than verbally given. Touching him once more, and again feeling his tension, she told him:

"In the end, it's not even bigger than the size of my palm. You having to endure a life full of darkness just because of a thing this small… Isn't that really unfair?" She asked more to herself than to him, but caught his attention anyway.

"And… About what you asked before", she hesitantly continued, blushing a little: "Don't worry. You're not even close to being ugly, it doesn't matter if you have one or a million of those scars."

She didn't get to see his reaction from that, since she, almost immediately after speaking, nervously turned to hide her red face, pretending to be busy getting her make up tools. What was going on with her? She was acting just like a little girl in lo…

Her track of thought was interrupted by his voice.

"Can I really trust you?" He asked softly.

Hae Soo, who still had her back turned, calmly turned around to look at him.

"I have always wondered and doubted."

With his eyes on hers, she felt his honesty and that made her heart pound even harder. That moment she knew she couldn't answer him without really thinking it through. By his serious tone that was an extremely important question to him, and she could understand why.

Until that moment, they had relied on each other almost unconsciously. They had never agreed on keeping each other's secrets or having each other's backs, but that's pretty much what they had been doing for a while now.

His question voiced what had only existed subliminally, in between the lines. It was as if he had to make sure they were on the same page of things for some reason.

After some important seconds, unhurriedly, she returned his gaze, assuming a serious persona for him to know she, too, was being honest as she said she knew trusting in others was a difficult thing. She herself had been betrayed before for trusting in others too much.

"But if you trust me, I won't change first. I can promise you that."

Again, she saw something shine inside his eyes as he took her words in and, this time, she was sure of what it was: relief. Their eyes were still locked when he told her that if it was her, then he could put himself in her hands.

"You can do whatever you want. From now on… I am yours."

He'd often said she was "his person", but it always seemed more like an unilateral kind of thing, like maybe she was "his" but the reciprocal wasn't necessarily true. The period of time on which they were was male chauvinist to the core and Hae Soo had been aware of that from the start, meaning she always took his words as an ancient saying of his society, never taking it to heart.

But the moment he actually said out loud he was hers, everything changed.

Flashes of their past interactions passed through her mind and she saw them in a new light. Had he… been courting her?

Just remembering these made her heart do back flips, and with them came a sudden need to auto ventilate with one hand. Gosh, she still had to finish her rice sack task.

Shaking her head to regain focus, she tried to keep herself from thinking further and somehow, was able to. At least, momentarily.

Getting the sack back from the ground, she resumed walking, unaware of the slippery wet floor ahead. The sack's heaviness conspired with the rain, and she suddenly saw herself falling.

It was then that she felt a masculine arm hold her.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:**_ _Thank you very much for all the support! I'm really happy when I read everyone's reviews! And everytime I receive an email from saying someone favorited or started following this story I'm filled with so much gratitude. I'll try to keep on updating as much as I can! I'm having my finals right now, but as soon as vacation starts I'll make sure to post more often._

 _Please keep on reviewing! What do you think about this story so far? I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! And please, overlook my grammar mistakes. English isn't my first language! ^^_

 _ **DISCLAIMER:**_ _I do not own any of these characters!_

 _ **Chapter Four:**_ _That love will kill and save me_

In the distance, the sound of thunder could be heard. It was like time had stopped for a second, until Hae Soo was finally able to process what had happened.

She slowly turned around to face the person who'd kept her from falling. And unexpectedly, it was Ji Mong.

Ji Mong was the King's adviser, astronomer and confidant. But though he was directly involved in most of the King's decisions, he never showed any sign of having greed or ill intentions, always acting in the name of the royal family's wellbeing.

The first time Hae Soo saw Ji Mong was during the time her name was still Go Ha Jin, of that she was sure. But, when she'd confronted him about it in Goryeo, his response wasn't what she'd expected. From that moment on, she continued with no clue as to how she would return to modern times and, after failing to find a portal in the prince's bath - encountering the 4th Prince instead of that - she'd given up on the idea of ever going back to the present altogether.

Feeling a little startled still because of her almost-fall, she promptly made a little bow and thanked him, looking down. Though he wasn't royal, he held a position of great power and she, as a mere court lady, should keep herself from meeting his eyes as a form of respect.

Usually she thought all this exaggerated etiquette was mostly a bother, but sometimes it could be pretty useful. She was more or less aware of the importance of her earlier acts that day and how they had affected the job of the man standing before her. Meaning that she could be in trouble.

Even though there wasn't even one drop of regret inside Hae Soo's heart, avoiding as much trouble as she could was a part of her plan of leading a happy life.

The truth was that she had come up with a resolution way before messing with the Prince's business, back when she was almost being forced into marriage with King Taejo.

The moment she chose to harm her wrist to save herself was an important turning point in her way of living. She, right in that second of despair, prayed for one more chance to live her life the way she wanted, for another miracle.

She had finally realized how lucky she was for having received a chance to start things over in another place in time. And she wanted to embrace it. She swore she would lead a happy life this time. That she would follow her heart. And then, before she knew it, she was lying on the floor with a bloody wrist, hearing someone screaming her name.

To her, Ji Mong represented mystery, for he was definitely connected to the reason why she'd been teleported to these ancient times. Though she had come with terms with her situation, she still wondered why that had happened. Was she supposed to play some part in History? That possibility seemed unlikely, for she had almost no knowledge about the subject.

In the end, she decide to disregard all complicated things. She would live her life normally, as if she was just another Goryeo citizen. Her motto was to follow her heart and principles. She believed everything would be all right if she did that.

And she had indeed. She had been following her heart when she helped the 4th Prince.

Even after Ji Mong received her thanks, he showed no signs of returning to his business. He just stared instead, and so she waited, feeling awkward.

The moment he spoke she knew things were going downhill.

"It was you… Wasn't it? The person who covered the 4th Prince's scar."

She remained silent. But really, words weren't needed. Just the fact she hadn't immediately denied was enough to confirm his suspicions and she knew that.

"Are you even aware of what you've done?"

With wide eyes, she finally looked up without really knowing how to answer. To be honest, she didn't really think things through before stepping out to help the Prince. All she had in mind then was her desire to protect him. And what was done was done.

After a while, she had, in fact, become aware of the power the person who performed the ritual successfully retained and with that came the true weight of her acts.

She asked herself then if she would do it all again even after knowing, and the answer she found inside her was yes. She would never allow the 4th Prince to be hurt while holding a way to prevent it from happening, even if that meant involving herself with the Palace's affairs. Whatever consequences that may bring her, she regretted nothing.

After coming to that conclusion, she had nothing to fear.

"With all due respect, all I did was help a friend. I just acted according to my own belief of what was right."

He seemed to have found her defiant look and response amusing at the very least, since for one fraction of second she thought she saw a smile. Quickly, though, his serious look returned as he asked:

"Would you still say that if you knew your actions might change History?"

He thought he'd caught her with that. She could see it in his eyes.

It wasn't until a few seconds later that she realized how much he had revealed by saying that.

He really was the person who she had encountered that day long ago, before drowning and waking up in Goryeo.

"…It really was you, then" it came out as a whisper at first, but then her voice stabilized. "Why did you pretend you hadn't seen me before?"

Still in silence he stared back, but that didn't really disappoint her. It wasn't like she had expected him to actually answer in the first place, she knew by then how his personality worked.

"It seems you're fine with asking questions but surely has a problem with answering them, huh. But I'm not like that. I will answer your question."

She looked at him firmly and then continued:

"Yes. I would still do it, even if History was changed. Because, you know what? History was changed the moment I was brought to these times. I had no say in that, so there must be a reason for me to be here. I don't know much about History, so I don't believe me being here has anything to do with keeping track of it. So I thought to myself… What can I do, then? And the answer was: make the best of it. If my presence or modern knowledge can ease someone else's pain… Why would I not help them?"

A few meters away, without Hae Soo and Ji Mong's knowledge, someone had been hiding quietly for a while, listening to their conversation.


	5. Chapter 5

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ _I do not own any of these characters!_

 _ **Chapter Five:**_ _Watch your step, love is broken_

For the next few days, the sun tried to appear, but the sky was still surrounded by heavy clouds, leaving almost no room for the rays of light. The good thing was that it enabled the temperature to be at a really comfortable degree, putting most people on a good mood. Even Lady Oh had decreased the amount of harassment towards her and she finally managed to get some rest after really exhausting days.

In a way, being overworked was good for it enabled her to empty her mind. She still couldn't quite believe her conversation with Choi Ji Mong, but… In truth, that wasn't really what had been on her mind.

The naïve 10th Prince, who never missed an opportunity to see Hae Soo, had been coming over almost every day only to end up being dismissed, for she had been working nonstop since the feast. Baek Ah and Jung had also appeared a couple of times to tease her.

Even the 8th Prince, who she usually openly avoided, had bumped into her once.

But why was it that she hadn't seen even one trace of the 4th Prince since the ritual?

Somewhere deep within, she had hoped the 4th Prince would come to see her after the feast, though nothing had really been arranged between them. She had been left with that impression when their eyes met at the end of the ritual, but, in the end, he didn't come. She hadn't seen him for almost four days and wondered what he'd been so busy with that hadn't even spared a minute of his time to see how she'd been doing.

"I guess that now that he has the King's favor, he won't mingle with me anymore… That jerk. Doesn't even know how much I've suffered these past few days because of him."

And it was feeling blue like that how she spent the rest of her day.

The Sun went away, giving space to the Moon, but still the clouds insisted on staying. The air's humidity hinted that the wind would bring another downpour.

She had just laid down to sleep when the rain came as promised.

Hae Soo usually loved dozing off while hearing the sound of rain, but for some reason, instead of helping, that rain kept her from it.

Unable to rest, she opened the Korean-style door that connected her room to the courtyard. A cold breeze entered the room, bringing the rain in. The wind wasn't strong enough to wet her room, just sufficient to splash some raindrops here and there. The feeling of being touched by rain was refreshing and made the girl reminisce the times from her past... A past that was actually the future of everybody she knew here.

How strange it was to think that every single person she knew from back then hadn't even been born yet. Not her ex-boyfriend nor her false friend. And yet, she still knew of their existence. In a way, they were alive already, at least inside of her mind. She wondered if it was the same when people died. Though their existence ceased, memories kept them living inside their loved one's heart. She supposed it felt the same and yet, different. For she didn't feel any longing for those she left behind in the future.

Longing…

Hae Soo sighed as she stared at the drizzle that only got stronger as time passed by. She had been trying for a while now to cast aside thoughts of a certain someone, but nothing seemed to work.

So she gave up resisting.

And a song came to her. Most people didn't know about this, but Hae Soo, I mean, Go Ha Jin loved singing and actually had some talent when it came to it, though she didn't think so herself. She usually sang when there was nobody around to hear her, but there had been certain occasions where she'd sang in front of people, though there had to be some special reason behind it. Or the occasion had been special or the person herself.

 _Suddenly the rain pours on my head_

 _Without a word, I will get wet_

 _The memory is falling down_

 _Along the tears, just like a fool_

 _The road to home, still there's a long way to go_

 _I have no umbrella, it seems like I'll only catch a cold_

 _If I have you on this road leading to that place_

 _Although I'll get wet, still it's good_

 _ **Oh rain drop, Oh rain drop**_

 _Love is so heartless_

 _ **Oh rain drop, Oh rain drop**_

 _Love is like raindrop_

 _Coldly, it drenches me_

 _Will I catch a cold that gives me pain as that time again?_

 **YOU CAN HEAR HAE SOO SING THIS SONG BY ACCESSING MY TUMBLR, SHIBACHIBI.**

 **So, just enter my tumblr and paste (** **/po** **st/158026730095/part-of-the-5th-chapter-watch-your-step-love-is) to the end of the url. Then you'll find the audio post. :)**

The girl sighed heavily as she thought of the 4th Prince and, in no time, she started wondering what the hell she was doing, sighing and singing because of a royal. Who did she think she was? A stupid damsel in distress? A princess? How cliché.

Getting up, she prepared to close the door, when she finally noticed what seemed to be the figure of man standing in the rain.

Is that..? It couldn't be. Was her mind playing tricks on her now?

Doubting but nevertheless still secretly hoping it was real, she ran outside without a second thought and indeed there he was.

She didn't even noticed she had been smiling while running towards him until she actually felt her smile gradually disappear as she breathed in the expression he had on.

All her excitement vanished. Poof. Just like that. For he had that abandoned puppy look that meant pain in its purest form. His shoulders down, he seemed to be in some kind of trance. She immediately knew something had happened and guessed it probably involved his heartless mother.

The girl wasn't sure whether he was crying or not because of the rain. Hae Soo approached him carefully now, while looking into his eyes. She knew that if she made the wrong move, he could burst and react violently. She'd seen him like this before when he destroyed one of the stone piles mothers made for their children. But so many things had happened since… She now had his trust. And she trusted in him too.

"Your Highness… What happened…?"

He didn't respond. In fact, she wasn't even sure he had heard her at all. It was like he was frozen.

Instinctively and with care, she put her arms around him. Still nothing. He was so cold; how long had he been standing in the rain like this? She had to come up with something to make him react or he could end up catching a cold.

And then the flash of a past moment came to mind. Once, on Eun's birthday. The face the 4th Prince had made as he listened to her sing.

She took a small breath and started slowly, with a small voice.

 _It hurts_

 _As it blows past_

 _But the one small ray of sun_

 _Makes me smile_

 _Everyone is so busy_

 _They get on with their lives_

 _But that one friend_

 _Makes me smile_

Her head was resting on his chest, so she had no vision of the expression he was making and wasn't even sure if anything in him had changed at all. So, she just tightened her embrace as she sang the words she'd meant to tell him from her heart.

 _When I find a place_

 _Where loneliness doesn't exist_

 _Join me there my friend_

 _Come with me_

 _Friend, my dear friend_

 _Thank you for being you_

 _Friend, my dear friend_

 _Thank you for being you_

Then she finally felt him bury his face on her tiny shoulders and return her embrace as he let himself come undone inside her arms.

 **To be continued.**


	6. UPDATE NOTICE

Hello everyone!

This is not a chapter update, as you have probably already noticed. I would like to apologize for my lack of commitment and updates... And I also want to let you know that I haven't forgotten this story and still plan to upload more chapters soon! I'm not sure how many of you still follow this story, I just want to let the few that still do to rest asured, this isn't finished nor abandoned. I actually already have some chapters ready, so it really won't take long, just bear with me for a little bit! Sorry!!! And see you soon!


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's notes:** Hello everyone! Here I am as I promised with one more chapter! Thank you very much for being so patient and not letting this story be forgotten. Here some very useful notes: you remember what the **bold** words mean in the lyrics Hae Soo sings? No? Well, let me remind you! Whenever there is a bold word in a song Hae Soo sings it means that she says the words exactly as they are. Which means...? Hehe (remember this story setting is South Korea/Korea/Goryeo, so they are supposedly speaking korean/ancient korean all the time, but...?). Hope you got it! If you didn't, you'll understand better in the next chapter. :) Please, don't forget to leave a review and favorite if you like this story! I love reading your comments!

 **Ps.1** Some of you might be familiar with k-pop (or not). Anyway, all the songs used in this fanfic are actual songs (I put in their translation since what matters to me is the meaning of the lyrics).

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own any of these characters!

 ** _Chapter Six:_** _I am every tear you cry_

He sobbed quietly, his shoulders an up and down movement, his face close to her neck. She could feel his painful breathing on her skin and wished she could shield him from everything and anyone. Soon, she felt tears stream down her face as well. Seeing him like this was so hard… But all she could do was wait silently until he calmed down.

The more he wept, tighter his embrace became. Even at a moment like this she could feel his tenacious unwillingness to yield. It was as if he was still trying to keep himself from breaking apart, almost like he was using that strength to keep the little pieces of his heart from bursting totally.

Slowly, she passed both arms around his nape and began stroking his head gently with one hand, while she whispered another song on his ear. Since he reacted well when she sang a few moments earlier, Hae Soo decided to give it another try, singing a song she knew from her old life in a soft lullaby slow version.

 _Are your shoulders heavy?  
It's not easy to put down heavy baggage  
Someone said that when you feel your dreams are  
getting far away – You should take a break_

She felt him gradually lessen his hold, his breath slowly become more stable. Shortly, he seemed to have completely calmed down. She kept on caressing him fondly as the song continued on though, wishing to stay together a little longer.

 _(...)_

 _When you're struggling and feel alone  
Listen to this song_

 _Look forward to this **melody** you liked_

 _The voice that will flow out of the **radio  
** The only thing I can do, Is to sing the lyrics of this song  
Even if things are hard It's ok, it's ok, it's ok  
Everything will be ok. **I believe in you**_

Strangely, as soon as she started the chorus, she felt him freeze again. Somehow he was so motionless that she didn't think he was even breathing.

Then, without notice but carefully, he started releasing her as soon as she stopped singing.

They were totally drenched at this point. Several inches taller than her, the 4th Prince looked down to meet her eyes, both arms lingering lifeless at his sides. As if he was searching for the answer of a question he hadn't yet dared to ask, the Wolf Dog stared silently. She stared back, waiting for him to say something, but all there was was silence. She could see he was struggling with something, but wouldn't make up his mind.

It was so strange how that silence wasn't uncomfortable at all for her. As the seconds passed she felt like they were in some kind of spell. Hae Soo started noticing the little things: how small raindrops fell from his hair all the way to his masculine cheeks; how his eyes still hinted sadness and loneliness; how his makeup had long been washed away... His scar, a thin line that crossed half of his face bellow his left eye, had once been a motive of surprise for her, but never of fear or disgust like it was for some people around them. In fact, now it didn't even affect her anymore. She saw his scar as a palpable representation of his own soul, which she thought was beautiful and fascinating.

Then, with a measured movement, she reached for it again, while observing his reaction. He let out a little sigh and closed his eyes, so she took that as sign that whatever it was he had in mind this time, it was okay. Her fingertips traced that small line on his face with care and tenderness, as he breathed slowly, his heart throbbing.

Now holding his palm, she started leading him towards her quarters. The rain hadn't ceased and they were already completely wet, but even so, maybe she could still prevent him from catching a cold if she managed to warm him up soon. After all, they were in Goryeo. Even a cold could turn into something dangerous.

As they walked inside, they left a watery trail behind them. In silence they went, with Wang So following her steps closely like a trusting lost puppy.

She motioned for him to wait for a moment while she entered her room quickly to retrieve the first fabric she could use as a towel. Quickly, she returned to him and began wiping, though deep inside she knew it was a futile effort. She would have to get him out of his damp clothes, but had nothing for him to change into, and she couldn't possibly leave him naked. What to do?

"What about you?" he suddenly asked, making her jump a little. It was the first time she heard him speak since the day of the ritual.

"I… It's okay. You're more important right now. Besides, you stood in the rain for longer than I have, so…"

"No", he interrupted, while firmly taking the hand she had been wiping him with. "You got like this because of me. You need to dry yourself first."

"I got like this because I wanted to. Nobody made me come to you but myself."

He sighed, a mix of despair and frustration. "I swear, you…" He let her hand go and ran his fingers through his wet hair. "...Who are you really?"

He ended up asking unintentionally on the spot, loud enough for her to hear.

 **To be continued.**


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